Hello all. It’s the busy season for me around these parts. Between keeping up with the end of the first half of baseball, all of the All-Star events, trade moves and the game itself, I haven’t been able to get everything in here as quick as I’ve put it out. But have no fear, I haven’t left you in the dust. Here’s a few previews and paths to my latest stuff. Afterwards hang around and I’ll let you know what will be coming out overall, as well as some new joints debuting exclusively here in the Cheap Seats.
But first, the view from The Cheap Seats at The Sports Fan Journal:
“Live Or Let Die: The Plight of the Phillies”
It’s the end of the first half of baseball season, but it’s starting to seem like both a whole lot more and a whole lot less all at once in Philadelphia. See, the Phillies have been bad; no other way to say it. By the lofty standards of the most consistent club in baseball over the last half-decade has set, it’s been a loud fall back to Earth. One that has seemingly come out of nowhere, but by looking a bit closer, the Phillies have been prone for this to happen.
Answers haven’t been easy to come by for Cliff Lee and the Phillies. Let me see what I can do help figure this out…
More than any other team in the game, the Phillies have lived in the moment the last few years. They smelled blood before they won their first World Series in over 25 years back in 2008, and ever since their return to the Series and subsequent defeat a year later, they’ve been out for it with every move they’ve made. In 2010 and ’11, they added the best pitcher in the world at the time, Roy Halladay, and the twice acquired ex-Cy Young winner Cliff Lee, locked up Ryan Howard to the biggest deal in the history of his position, and tacked on the brightest bricks on a crumbling Houston Astros club in Roy Oswalt and Hunter Pence. All of these were big-money, win-now moves, and the results were in line with what should have been: They dominated seasons on end and won, a lot. All of that adds up to being on the right track, right? Well, you would think so …
But then the reality of this method kicked in full-speed this season, and it became abundantly clear: There was a lot less time left for the Phils than assumed coming into the year….
For the rest of this, including whether the Phils should roll the dice or cash in what’s left, head to TSFJ here: http://www.thesportsfanjournal.com/columns/live-or-let-die-the-plight-of-phillies/
“The All-Time, Dead or Alive Home Run Derby”
Major League Baseball’s All-Star week is upon us again, and with it comes the greatest skill exhibition in pro sports as well, the Home Run Derby. The annual gathering of each league’s best at attacking the boundaries set by outfield walls displays some of the most awe-inspiring moments of the season. In a few hours, Robinson Cano will look to keep Matt Kemp, Jose Bautista and Price Fielder, among others, off his heels as he looks to defend his title from last summer. While that’s no group to sneeze at, it could get a whole deeper if a few more contestants were made available.
If you could send any player ever to the Home Run Derby, would you take either of these guys? Keep digging to see my squad.
Now it may take a trip that only a DeLorean and Michael J. Fox can deliver to make it happen, but consider what a Home Run Derby would look like with EVERYBODY that ever made the long ball his business? Who would you want to see take their hacks against each other? More than that, who would be the last man standing? Today, we’re taking our hacks at settling at least half of that debate by proposing a few of the many candidates that would make the Ultimate, All-Time Home Run Derby an event to remember.
So what we did here today is got the debate started early, with some picks from myself, followed by the rest of the good folks here at TSFJ. Take a look at the case for each, and cast a vote on who’s got the best chance of taking the all-time crown below. And if you don’t see the best horse for the race, submit your own candidate for the crown. There’s no shortage of candidates qualified for the title…
To see who I picked as my choices for my dream Derby, as well as the rest of the staff over at TSFJ, follow this link here: http://www.thesportsfanjournal.com/sports/baseball/the-all-time-dead-or-alive-home-run-derby/
As for what’s to come? Today at St. Louis Sports 360, I’m covering who are the best options for the Cardinals make a trade deadline splash with. And towards the end of the week, I’ll be dropping my picks for first half MLB Awards, with a few shockers that show the baseball landscape is moving towards a brand new day about 100 mph…
As for what will be truly new in the OG Cheap Seats here, it’s time to make my long gone return to the NBA soon, and clear the air on what’s kept me away and what’s been the same and what’s looking new. Also, it’s about time to bring out this year’s summer history project. One that’s sure to spike debate in a brand new direction…
And if that’s not enough, we’ll talk about A day in the life of me that led me to cross paths with three Hall of Famers at once during the All-Star Game festivities in Kansas City and the question I posed that stopped the show…while hopefully bringing it forward.
Business is picking up in the Cheap Seats, but in between, follow me on Twitter at @CheapSeatFan.
Cheap.Seats.Please. 